Why I Love My Job

*Originally published on January 3, 2016 on my Medium.com blog (which I am abandoning - Blogger is better). 

“The pitcher cries for water to carry/ and a person for work that is real.” 

To Be of Use ~Marge Piercy

Recently, I chatted with a friend about work. Approximately thirty minutes into the conversation, he paused and said, “We are only talking about our frustrations. Let’s talk about what is going well at school.” This interjection was a wonderful reminder that (though tempting, at times) I should not fall prey to focusing on what isn’t going exactly the way I planned or hoped. Instead, I should spend time celebrating the many accomplishments of students, teachers and colleagues.

Since that phone call I have reflected on why I absolutely love my job and how blessed I am to return to my work every day. So on the eve of this winter break’s end, I thought I’d share just a few reasons why I love what I do:

1. Teachers — My job is to work with teachers, and teachers are the bravest, smartest, best people I know. Each day teachers walk into classrooms filled with dozens of children who bring various strengths, needs, and interests to their desks. Teachers see potential where others may only see challenges. And I am lucky enough to be the person to whom teachers turn when they are struggling. It is my job to help them design lessons and assessments, to find ways to reach disaffected students, to seek resources to inspire students’ learning and to encourage them when they feel uncertain. It is a joy to be surrounded by so many people who simply love their work and want to do what is best for kids.
2. Students — Since leaving the classroom a few years ago, I have limited opportunities to work closely with students. However, I am in classrooms all the time, so I frequently have the privilege to see them in action. I sit in first grade rooms and watch reading buddies enthusiastically share their favorite books. I visit fourth grade rooms and observe students composing their fictional narratives, making sure every word captures the correct mood. I join tenth grade classes and listen to students debate whether Lady Macbeth’s insults were the catalyst for MacBeth’s power hungry rampage. Whether I spend five minutes or fifty with students, I am reminded why our work matters. I feel privileged to help design their educational experiences and to see them engage in their learning process.
3. Books & Poetry — Somedays it feels like a miracle. I have to read all kinds of books and all types of poetry to identify the best ones to include in our classroom libraries, instructional units and book circles. It is my job to do so! I review picture books by the dozen. I follow the Nerdy Book Club and read books they recommend. I notice what our middle and high school students read during independent reading time and read those books too. Plus, I read poetry every day, checking The Writer’s Almanac and Poetry Daily web pages to see what poems are posted and how they might be used in our classrooms. Seriously? Pinch me.

So before the Sunday night blues sweep over you, take a few minutes and jot down why you love your job. Then when your 5:30 a.m. alarm sounds on Monday morning, you will wake with a smile knowing how blessed you are to be an educator.

Have a great day!